The Second Limb. Observances
The Niyamas are observances that encourage the well-being of ourselves. Practicing the Niyamas helps us maintain a positive environment in which to grow and gives us the self discipline and inner-strength necessary to progress along the path of Yoga. The Niyamas teach only love. Following them with the faith that whatever awaits us is far better than whatever we had let go of. While the Yamas bring us closer to truth by teaching us through our relationships with others, the Niyamas remind us that ultimately the path to Samadhi is one we take alone. We must now begin to work on an individual level.
There are five Niyamas are:
1. Saucha: Purity
2. Santosha: Contentment
3. Tapas: Self-Discipline
4. Svadyaya: Self Study
5. Ishvara Pranidhana: Surrender to the Absolute
1. Saucha: Purity, cleanliness, loving our whole self
What does it mean?
Saucha is about creating the most harmonious environment we can. Both physically, energetically, emotionally and mentally.
Here we can explore those less known yogic practices that are designed to rid the body of dis-ease and preserve the body’s functions for as long as possible so that there is more time to reach Samadhi. These include different purification rituals – or kriyas such as neti, fasting, colonic irrigation techniques, tongue scraping, eye washing & body scrubbing…to name but a few.
But the mainstream and more well-known practices of asana, pranayama and meditation all cleanse and purify the body and mind as well. With the aim to strengthen the capacity -physically, energetically, emotionally and mentally to maintain a purer state of being.
Putting it into Practice.
On a very basic level, it can involve keeping your spaces clean and tidy. In classes, putting away mats, props, and being mindful of other student’s mats.
Spending time cleansing the body and performing various kriyas.
Consciously surrounding yourselves with a purer environment; these could include your choices of food, drink, friends, entertainment - tv, podcasts, films etc, how you furnish your home etc.
Select wisely from the many choices of emotions and thoughts that arise in the mind including your circumstances and limiting beliefs. Watching the mind can help release and loosen our toxic attachments to the outer world, allowing more freedom and clarity, creating more neutrality. Ultimately, leading us to a greater consciousness, peace, balance and truth.
"Your beliefs become your thoughts.
Your thoughts become your words.
Your words become your actions.
Your actions become your habits.
Your habits become your values.
Your values become your destiny" Mahatma Gandhi
2. Santosha[1]: Contentment, falling in love with life
What does it mean?
Contentment implies a steady state of happiness and fulfilment, in which we lack for nothing. Patanjali states that the ego masquerades as the True Self and we are struggling with life and suffering because we believe that we are the ego. As a result of this wrong identification we cannot recognise the magnificence of who we really are. Our True Nature is intrinsically and unwaveringly blissful, peaceful and deeply fulfilled. Our ego is never satisfied and is always hungry for something it thinks it doesn’t have yet. As long as we identify with the ego we will always be caught up in the world of illusion. We will never be satisfied. Through the practice of meditation and contemplation of the yogic teachings it is possible to unpeel the maya[2] and begin to experience santosha, where you want for nothing and are deeply content, resting in the True Self.
The Bhagavad-Gita (an ancient Indian text) teaches us not to look outside of ourselves for happiness but to realise that peace and happiness lie within.[3] Our ego experiences joy, pain, loss, desire, greed and happiness and we become attached to these by either pushing them away or clinging to them. By realising that our bodies and minds are part of creation or prakriti[4] and who we truly are lies within, we can come closer to accepting santosha as everything changes around us. Meditation is a doorway to this understanding.
[1] Different spellings; santosa
[2] cosmic hypnosis and illusion which creates the universe and which deludes the perceiving individual minds into taking the world as real.
[3] E Newlyn
[4] Prakriti or matter, includes the material world, that which is created, nature and the human mind. Prakriti is always in the process of continual change, whether the rate is uncomfortably slow; tamasic, painfully fast; rajasic, or blissfully just right; sattvic. In the physical world, everything is in constant transition.
Putting it into Practice
Practice vairagya; detachment, let go of the past, do not condemn yourself for not being wiser, wealthier or more successful than you are. Free your mind of expectations and you will see life in a larger context and be able to ride its ups and downs with equanimity. Have an appreciation for yourself. When you are feeling discontent remember that it is illusionary and shift your attention to gratitude for what you already have. Whatever you have in the present moment is enough. Through the power of contentment, happiness becomes our choice and leads to mental peace.
On the mat be accepting that where you are at is enough. There is no deadline for being able to reach a certain level of physical practice. Appreciate yourself for what you are, how far you have come and all that you have to look forward to.
We have a habit of waiting to be “ourselves” until we have accomplished other things. The truth is you will always be you and you can either continue to disregard or appreciate yourself. Love yourself and be the best you can be right now. In order to come closer to finding peace, Santosha is undeniably one of the most important practices to come back to consistently , we cannot love, trust or live fully until we have enough of that love inside ourselves. Do not wait for happiness -you have everything you need right within you. Practicing santosha frees us from unnecessary suffering of always wanting things to be different and instead fills us with gratitude and joy for all of life’s blessings.
3. Tapas: Self-discipline, burning enthusiasm
What does it mean?
Meaning to blaze, burn, consume by heat. It means a burning effort under all circumstances to achieve a definite goal in life. To burn away impurities physically, mentally and emotionally. It involves purification, intense self discipline, attainment of will power and austerity. It is doing something you do not want to do that will have a positive effect on your life. It is a deep spiritual longing which drives us to transform and progress through life. This inner fire can help us to burn through our sankalpas, or karmic tendencies. Some more extreme forms of tapas are designed to attain mind over matter through sheer will power and therefore transcend this physical realm.
Tapas asks us to take the disciplines of Yoga; to serve, to be kind, to speak truth, to purify thoughts to meditate, to practice asana and to commit to those as a regular practice, with passion and love. Tapas is not interested in what the mind thinks, we have to become deeply intimate with the true desire in our hearts. Whatever it is, we do it, not because we think we should, but because it is beautiful and we are committed to doing so, -for love, for growth, for our hearts desire to know love, for our souls and for a yearning to serve the world. The beauty of pure tapas is that when we make a choice that aligns with this fire inside, we fan the flames so that the fire burns brighter and the next time the choice becomes easier.
Putting it into Practice
It is valuable as a yogi to create some disciplines for yourself that might be challenging but attainable. Unless it takes a certain amount of resolve and determination it is not really Tapas.
Cultivating tapas in our asana practice could mean practicing poses we usually avoid or find difficult. Stepping outside our comfort zone, not listening to the voices telling us we’re not good enough are also elements of tapas, however, it is important to remember when working with the element of tapas we are acting from a place of love and positivity and not from fear. When we push ourselves a little further we should do it not because our ego tells us to but because we really truly feel we can just go that little bit further. The passion that makes us get up and do our practice for the love of it. Going to bed early so you can wake up early to practice, not drinking too much alcohol because you want to feel good in your practice are all forms of tapas. The way you feel after a great class, that’s tapas; burning away the negative thought patterns and habits we often fall into. Meditating and doing a daily yoga practice is a form of tapas. Through consistent and steady spiritual practice over a long period of time one is able to burn through the psychic knots which keep us bound.
This inner fire can also be used as a source of spiritual energy. Tapas transforms and purifies us as well as enables the conscious awareness and control over our unconscious impulses and poor behaviour. It builds the will power and personal strength to help us become more dedicated to our practice of Yoga. Patanjali states that it is through struggle that we evolve and learn. By willingly embracing difficulties and painful situations and events we are able to grow. Find your own inner words of encouragement. Don’t wait for someone else or for inspiration. Just do it. Take small steps and approach your practice with a deep and pure desire for transformation.
4. Svadhyaya: Self-study, contemplation, know thyself, who am I?
What does it mean?
“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the Self” The Bhagavad-Gita
This Niyama refers to both the independent study of spiritual texts as well as looking deeply into the mirror of one’s own soul. Much wisdom can be gained from reading teachings both old and new. It is important to discover which spiritual texts resonate with you and then allow the words to penetrate your heart and carry their energetic transmission into your very cells to elevate and enlighten you.[1] Through self inquiry you can start to understand the nature of the human mind as well as discover your true source and thus gain wisdom and insight. Life presents an endless opportunity to learn about ourselves, our flaws and weaknesses and gives us the opportunity to grow, and our mistakes allow us to learn. Examining our actions becomes a mirror to see our conscious and unconscious motives and our thoughts and desires more clearly.
When we practice svadhyaya, we need to be interested in the nature of the ego and the depth of ignorance inherent in an egoic state of mind. This will then help us make different choices transforming and growing as a result of becoming aware of our own ignorance and beginning to see more clearly. By looking deeply into our true nature we can come face to face with God or Cosmic Consciousness. One who has looked this deeply into him or herself understands that all human beings are one and the same. The ego, the I or small ‘self’ is mostly concerned with survival which usually entails getting what it wants in all situations, despite what the consequences are. It judges, criticises, fears, conditions and doubts and is essentially the cause of the citta vrittis, fluctuations of the mind. By studying our ‘self’ we become more aware of the things we do that harm us and also those which serve us and bring us closer to that process of uniting with the True ‘Self’.
Putting it into Practice
The way we practice Yoga is very reflective of the way we practice life, a persons physical yoga practice often reveals a lot more about them than they may think. Without distractions on the mat we have to pay attention to ourselves. When you get on the mat ask yourself what you can undo before you do anything. Is your breathing shallow? The breath tells us how we are. Ask yourself why you are stressed? Does it matter right now? Is the body holding tension? The jaw, neck, forehead, shoulders and upper back are all areas we store fears and worries. Ask why this tension might be present and how often does it arise during practice? Notice if your mind becomes distracted, recognise and acknowledge them for what they are.
During asana practice try looking within. Focus during a yoga practice should be completely internal. Build self awareness by pausing after working in a pose, become still and feel the changes. This also nurtures self knowledge and prevents physical injury as they will be aware of what they are doing.
Ask yourself “who am I?” Develop the capacity to find the answers without chastising yourself in the process. However, as not everyone can delve into ancient texts, deepening ones own yoga practice can involve articles or books which help us move closer towards ‘Self-realisation’. Asking other questions like; who is thinking these thoughts? Who does this body belong to? Who eats this food, who wakes up? All cultivate self compassion, remembering to practice with satya (honesty) tapas (discipline) and ahimsa (non violence).
5. Ishvara Pranidhana: Surrender to the Absolute, Self-surrender
What does it mean?
This is the dedication, devotion and surrender of will to a higher power. This fuses Bhakti Yoga and Karma Yoga. Patanjali tells us that to reach the goal of Yoga we must dissolve our egocentric nature and let go of our constant identification with ourselves. To do this our yoga practice and all of the benefits we may receive from our practice must be seen as an offering to something greater than ourselves. Through this simple act of dedication we become reminded of our connection to our higher power and our yoga practice becomes sacred and filled with grace, inner peace and abounding love, cultivating a deep and trusting relationship with the Universe.
We often struggle to be in control. We want things to be the way we want them to be and if they aren’t we often resist and fight that experience. We may feel victimised or feel that life is unjust. But we can never be in control it is impossible to know why things are the way they are. Part of the beauty of life is that it unfolds mysteriously and we have no say in it. It is as it is. To embrace this wholeheartedly with love and humility is to surrender to what is. Embracing life is different from accepting it. Accepting infers a sense of resignation whereas embracing is welcoming everything with open arms, even the most challenging events that life throws at us. When we embrace what is, we learn to trust the profoundly positive nature of life. In life, practicing surrender requires us to acknowledge that we can do our very best in each situation, but we can’t do any more than that. Realising this allows us to fully engage and be present in what we are doing, bringing all our energy to that moment and experiencing it fully just for what it is, what happens after, happens after. Remaining open to experiencing life as it unfolds.
You don’t have to believe in a human representation of The Divine, The One, The Creator, The Omniprescent, Universal Life Force, God to accept that there is a divine design, a benevolent essence in the universe. You can always pause to look for the higher essence in any situation. Yoga in no way forces the idea of God or religion upon anyone, however, there is an underlying idea that something bigger, more profound and pure exists other than ourselves. Universal Life Force is worshipped in different forms by every religion and faith. However, the name we use doesn’t matter, it’s the dedication that does.
Putting it into Practice
In asana practice, learn to recognise when to surrender and rest. Surrendering is hugely challenging because it means transcending the ego, and the ego will do everything it can to hold on to some control. Surrendering to what is, requires trust in our deepest Self, our intuition and the courage to express ourselves for who we are, with all of our perfect imperfections, ultimately leads us to freedom.[2] It shows a huge amount of understanding of ourselves, respect for our bodies and allows our practice to support us for a lifetime.
On the mat, surrendering into a posture, finding comfort within discomfort and leaning into our boundaries, staying in the posture for another few breaths and surrendering to how it feels right now shows us just how strong we can be in that very moment, and even when the mind says we can’t the body shows we can, this way we can learn to deal with difficult situations. The idea of surrendering can be applied to the intension we set at the beginning of practice, offering up the results of ones actions to The Divine, practice then becomes less about us but how we can stay healthy enough to help the world around us. Many students are concerned with ‘getting there’; they want results. Realise that results don’t matter, because the results lie in the hands of The Divine, it is our effort and intention that count.
By surrendering to a moment of difficulty or joy, surrendering our actions and learning to trust in The Universe, we move closer to freedom.
See every situation as a gift. Thank it for being there. Surrender from the beliefs that we aren’t worthy that we aren’t loveable that we aren’t enough. See through the eyes of love. Have no expectations.
We are not looking for peace, we are peace,
we are not looking to be made perfect we are perfect.
We practice yoga for our love of yoga.
[1] V Heisel
[2] E Newlyn
Summarising the Yamas and the Niyamas
The ten attributes the Yamas and Niyamas are the ethical precepts that bind and underpin all the teachings of Yoga. The Yamas and Niyamas are the first two of the eight traditional limbs of Ashtanga Yoga practice, and adherence to these observances precedes and supersedes all other practices. Given Patanjali’s extremely logical and systematic presentation in the Yoga Sutra we can be sure that it is not a coincidence that these ethical precepts are given such a prominent position. Often seen as a list of dos and don’ts or interpreted as a series of commandments, the Yamas and Niyamas are actually emphatic declarations of what we are when we are connected to our true nature.[1]
Practicing the Yamas and Niyamas is a journey and a process. Take one step, one Yama or Niyama at a time and proceed with compassion and without worry of perfection.
Unfortunately, in today’s society, in our rush to get on the mat and get noticeable results, the Yamas and Niyamas are often overlooked. If we want to benefit holistically from a Yoga Practice, it has to expand beyond the mat and into life. When this happens, it’s not just our bodies that get stretched, expanded and strengthened but our minds and hearts as well. From that state of being, we move ever closer towards wholeness, connectedness and unity and start to not just ‘do’ Yoga but live and breathe it in each and every moment.[2]
[1] Donna Farhi
[2] E Newiyn.
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